The teaching resource was developed as part of a three-year partnership between the Red Cross and Allen & Overy, and will help teachers deliver parts of the statutory citizenship curriculum at Key Stage 4.

The pack includes engaging lesson plans with real-life examples and thought-provoking photography to stimulate debate and discussion on IHL, and explore topics around justice and fairness.

International partnership

Initially launched in the UK, the resource was developed as part of a three-year partnership between Allen & Overy and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The British Red Cross is co-ordinating the partnership and will offer the resource to other Red Cross National Societies, so it can be used by young people in other selected countries.

The first lesson plan in the resource focuses on IHL with three further lesson plans exploring wider topics around justice and fairness.

Conference on IHL and education

Other highlights planned over the next three years include a conference on IHL and education on 3 December 2009, and a student competition encouraging young people to explore humanitarian issues.

Sir Nicholas Young, chief executive of the British Red Cross, said: “This education resource will aid teachers, in the first year of teaching the new citizenship studies GCSE, to explore areas of international humanitarian law, justice and fairness in an engaging and absorbing way with their students.

“The resource has been developed by Allen & Overy staff, drawing upon their legal credentials, and our education team, in keeping with our commitment to promote humanitarian values, enhance respect for human dignity and raise awareness of international humanitarian law.”